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Texas bill will supply veterans via lottery

AUSTIN, Texas -- As reported by The Daily Texan: "State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, has authored a bill that would create a lottery scratch-off game to provide more money for veterans.

"All proceeds from the game would go to the Permanent Fund for Veterans Assistance. The fund provides aid to veterans and their families as well as to local veterans organizations. The Legislative Budget Board estimated that the game could generate up to $8 million per year.

"A joint bill to do this made it out of a House committee and is awaiting debate on the House floor. State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Burleson, authored the House bill.

"...Van de Putte said she has seen some opposition to the bill in the Senate from legislators who think the scratch-off might expand gambling or erode the original purpose of the state lottery.

"'Nothing could be further from the truth,' Van de Putte said. 'Studies have shown that states that have enacted this have not had any loss of funds to the original purpose to which their lottery was enacted. We are confident that the original purpose, the Permanent School Fund, would be kept whole...'"

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